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Mayor James says KC kids showing reading progress

Kansas City Mayor Sly James said there's been signs of improvement after efforts to work on the low number of students reading at their proper level.

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Updated: 5:23 PM CDT Mar 24, 2014

Mayor James says KC kids showing reading progress

Kansas City Mayor Sly James said there's been signs of improvement after efforts to work on the low number of students reading at their proper level.

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Updated: 5:23 PM CDT Mar 24, 2014

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WEBVTT STUDENTS WHO ARE 21 OR OLDER WILL BE ABLE TO DRINK ALCOHOL IN THEIR ROOMS. KANSAS CITY IS MAKING PROGRESS IN GETTING MORE THIRD GRADERS READING AT THE PROPER LEVEL. KANSAS CITY MAYOR SLY JAMES'S SAYS HIS 'TURN THE PAGE', PROGRAM IS PRODUCING RESULTS. KMBC 9'S MICHEAL MAHONEY IS LIVE WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS. DURING HIS STATE OF THE CITY SPEECH TODAY, THE MAYOR NOTED THAT 3 YEARS AGO, A THIRD OF ALL 3RD GRADERS THRU- OUT KANSAS CITY---COULD NOT READ AT A 3RD GRADE LEVEL. THAT NUMBER HAS IMPROVED A BIT ACCORDING TO THE 'TURN THE PAGE' PROJECT. NOW 39% OF 3RD GRADERS ARE READING AT THEIR PROPER LEVEL. DURING HIS SPEECH, THE MAYOR CONCEDED THE CITY'S SCHOOLS---NOT JUST THE KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTIRCT---ARE NOT WHERE THEY NEED TO BE HE SAYS QUALITY SCHOOLS ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ELEMENTS THAT CAN DRAW NEW PEOPLE AND BUSINESS TO KANSAS CITY. AND HE URGED THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT PARK HILL HIGH--WHERE HE GAVE THE SPEECH--TO JOIN THE 'TURN THE PAGE' PROJECT: BY DEVELOPING THEM AND RECOGNIZING THEIR BRAINS ARE 85% DEVELOPED BY THE TIME THEY'RE 5 OR 6 YEARS OLD, WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT KIDS ARE GOING TO SCHOOL LIKE. THAT'S IMPORTANT. YEAH, I DID THE A-PLUS PROGRAM. IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE CHILDREN BEING ABLE TO ADVANCE THROUGH READING. THE TURN THE PAGE PROJECTS LOOKS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO READ TO YOUNG PEOPLE, HELPING THEM TO LEARN TO READ WELL. IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE MAYOR TO TURN UP A A LIBRARY AND READ A STORY TO LITTLE KIDS AS PART OF THE THIS YEAR. THE MAYOR ALSO USED THE STATE-OF-THE-CITY SPEECH TO TALK ABOUT OTHER PROBLEMS

Mayor James says KC kids showing reading progress

Kansas City Mayor Sly James said there's been signs of improvement after efforts to work on the low number of students reading at their proper level.